CJB
2010-06-23 13:48:06 UTC
1 June 2010
BCT response to 'Bear Grylls: Born Survivor'
http://www.bats.org.uk/news.php/82/bct_response_to_bear_grylls_born_survivor
The Bat Conservation Trust (BCT) has been working with the
international conservation and animal welfare community to investigate
the footage of the TV presenter Bear Grylls smoking out, swatting and
then stamping on bats in Asia. During the programme, several bats are
killed deliberately and this was treated as a game. The footage has
recently been aired in the UK and across Europe on the Discovery
Channel and on the internet. In Britain the programme series appears
as Bear Grylls: Born Survivor (in the United States it is titled Man
vs. Wild).
We feel that the footage is very damaging to bat conservation, because
it treats the reckless persecution of bats as entertainment and may
encourage others to harm or kill bats for fun. Following
investigation, we believe that the incident took place in a country
where bats are not protected by law. However, viewers in Europe are
not informed that copying the presenters actions would be illegal in
many countries.
Bear Grylls is a prominent public figure and a role model, as Chief
Scout at The Scout Association and ambassador of RARE (whose mission
is to “to conserve imperilled species and ecosystems around the world
by inspiring people to care about and protect nature”). For this
reason his conduct, and the influence it may have, is of great
concern. Furthermore, we believe that in the UK the programme is in
breach of Ofcom’s Broadcasting Code because it may encourage crime.
To limit the damage Bear Grylls and the Discovery Channel have done to
bat conservation BCT, in collaboration with Bat Conservation
International and other national and international conservation
organisations are calling for:
•the Discovery Channel to ensure this edition of Bear Grylls: Born
Survivor and related footage is not aired again and that this footage
is removed from YouTube, the Discovery Channel website and all other
communications;
•a public apology from Bear Grylls;
•the support from Bear Grylls and the Discovery Channel for bat
conservation efforts in the region and where the filming took place.
We are currently awaiting responses from the Discovery Channel and
Bear Grylls.
If you share our concerns about the message this episode of Bear
Grylls: Born Survivor / Man Vs. Wild portrays, we recommend you
contact the Discovery Channel directly via the 'Viewer Relations'
facility on their communications website:
Discovery Channel viewer relations
http://extweb.discovery.com/viewerrelations
If you have seen the episode in the UK, you could also make a
complaint to Ofcom:
Complain to Ofcom
https://www.ofcom.org.uk/complain/progs/specific/?itemid=286480
The following letter to Ofcom from the Bat Conservation Trust outlines
which part of Ofcom Broadcasting Code has been breached:
BCT letter of complaint to Ofcom
http://www.bats.org.uk/publications_download.php/785/Complaint_to_Ofcom.pdf
BCT response to 'Bear Grylls: Born Survivor'
http://www.bats.org.uk/news.php/82/bct_response_to_bear_grylls_born_survivor
The Bat Conservation Trust (BCT) has been working with the
international conservation and animal welfare community to investigate
the footage of the TV presenter Bear Grylls smoking out, swatting and
then stamping on bats in Asia. During the programme, several bats are
killed deliberately and this was treated as a game. The footage has
recently been aired in the UK and across Europe on the Discovery
Channel and on the internet. In Britain the programme series appears
as Bear Grylls: Born Survivor (in the United States it is titled Man
vs. Wild).
We feel that the footage is very damaging to bat conservation, because
it treats the reckless persecution of bats as entertainment and may
encourage others to harm or kill bats for fun. Following
investigation, we believe that the incident took place in a country
where bats are not protected by law. However, viewers in Europe are
not informed that copying the presenters actions would be illegal in
many countries.
Bear Grylls is a prominent public figure and a role model, as Chief
Scout at The Scout Association and ambassador of RARE (whose mission
is to “to conserve imperilled species and ecosystems around the world
by inspiring people to care about and protect nature”). For this
reason his conduct, and the influence it may have, is of great
concern. Furthermore, we believe that in the UK the programme is in
breach of Ofcom’s Broadcasting Code because it may encourage crime.
To limit the damage Bear Grylls and the Discovery Channel have done to
bat conservation BCT, in collaboration with Bat Conservation
International and other national and international conservation
organisations are calling for:
•the Discovery Channel to ensure this edition of Bear Grylls: Born
Survivor and related footage is not aired again and that this footage
is removed from YouTube, the Discovery Channel website and all other
communications;
•a public apology from Bear Grylls;
•the support from Bear Grylls and the Discovery Channel for bat
conservation efforts in the region and where the filming took place.
We are currently awaiting responses from the Discovery Channel and
Bear Grylls.
If you share our concerns about the message this episode of Bear
Grylls: Born Survivor / Man Vs. Wild portrays, we recommend you
contact the Discovery Channel directly via the 'Viewer Relations'
facility on their communications website:
Discovery Channel viewer relations
http://extweb.discovery.com/viewerrelations
If you have seen the episode in the UK, you could also make a
complaint to Ofcom:
Complain to Ofcom
https://www.ofcom.org.uk/complain/progs/specific/?itemid=286480
The following letter to Ofcom from the Bat Conservation Trust outlines
which part of Ofcom Broadcasting Code has been breached:
BCT letter of complaint to Ofcom
http://www.bats.org.uk/publications_download.php/785/Complaint_to_Ofcom.pdf